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The synthetic paraffinic kerosine (SPK) produced via HEFAs is of great interest for civil aviation industry as it exhibits an excellent thermal oxidative stability with significantly lower particulate matter emission. However, due to its aromatic free characteristics, the widespread use of SPK is limited by its compatibility with non-metal materials such as fuel tank elastomers. In this research the compatibility of SPK and its blends with widely used aircraft fuel tank elastomers were systematically studied. Experimental results demonstrated the volume swellability of all selected materials showed a linear relationship with volume percentage of No.3 jet fuel in SPK blend. The increase of volume percentage of No.3 jet fuel in the SPK blend increased volume swellability for all materials except fluorosilicone gasket.

The impacts of aromatic contents in the aviation jet fuel on the volume swell of fuel tank polythioether and polysulfide sealants were systematically studied in this research. The experimental results revealed the sealant volume swell was dramatically increased as the aromatic content in the fuel was increased. The volume of the PR 1440 polysulfide manganese cured sealant was shrunk when the sealant was soaped in the aviation fuel with aromatic volume content less than 8 vol. % for 28 days at 93°C. The volume of the tested polythioether sealants was never shrunk at the same operating conditions. The experimental results also demonstrated the addition of various additives into the aviation fuel could effectively increase the volume swell of the sealant, increasing the sealant sealing properties.